MALAYSIA is a magnet for refugees but life for them in the country is not easy largely because the law doesn’t accord them rights, activists said.

They told The Malaysian Insight that refugees are usually treated “worse than criminals” by the authorities.

Malaysia is simply not a safe place for refugees, they added.

North-South Initiative executive director Adrian Pereira said refugees are aware of the fact but still end up here because of “desperation”.

“Refugees themselves know Malaysia is not safe but it’s easy to enter because they can simply bribe a few officers and get in.

“In Malaysia it seems like refugees are treated worse than criminals,” he said.

Pereira said the National Security Council (NSC) guidelines for refugees are harsh.

The NSC considers refugees, including Rohingya, undocumented migrants. The government places refugees under a very high security band when refugees should be given their fundamental rights,” he added,

Pereira said refugees will always struggle to live in Malaysia as long as they are not given the right to work.

“We don’t give them the right to work so how are they to live?”

The media regularly report government actions against refugees, often bundling them together with illegal migrants and stateless people.

The refugees are arrested and detained even when they carry refugee cards issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

On the Myanmar refugee who recently threw his three children off a highway before taking his own life, Adrian said such a tragedy could have been avoided.

“It is the result of an accumulation of various issues. If Malaysia had given them their basic rights, there wouldn’t have been such a situation.”

Sentul district police chief Beh Eng Lai had said the father – a UNHCR cardholder – had mental health issues.

All four of the refugees were killed. The children also had UNHCR cards.

Worsening situation

Mahi Ramakrishnan of Beyond Borders said the situation for the refugees was even worse now following job and income losses due to Covid-19 and the December floods.

“We all know that the prices of food items have increased, making it a double whammy for them.  And there has been no financial aid or support from the government,” she said.

She said Refugees in Malaysia are considered a security threat.

“We champion the Palestinian cause but treat our refugees like sub-humans.

“Despite our obligation to protect their rights, refugees can’t work, don’t have access to affordable healthcare or education,” said Mahi.

Mahi said the recent refugee homicides and suicide are a sign of the hopelessness the asylum-seekers feel that stems from their lack of security and ability to fend for themselves.

“Malaysia makes it so difficult for the refugees to work; takes away their freedom of movement.

 “The government has done nothing to ensure refugees can live with dignity. Malaysia is a hostile country for refugees,” Mahi added.

Alliance Of Chin Refugees former chairman James Bawi Thang Bi said refugees are facing daily threats in Malaysia.

“They are sandwiched between civil war or unrest at home and the threat of arrest and harassment by Malaysian authorities.

“It seems like no place is safe for them because they are unwelcome everywhere and unwanted by their own government,” said James.

“They are hunted (by Malaysian authorities) like criminals. It is also sad to see many negative comments from the public against those poor, unfortunate people. 

“I don’t know why refugees are considered worse than criminals because honestly, how many per cent of crime in Malaysia is committed by refugees?”

According to the UNHCR, as of February 2022, there are 181,800 refugees and asylum seekers registered with the agency in Malaysia.

It said 86% of asylum seekers are from Myanmar and the rest fleeing war and persecution in 50 countries, including Pakistan, Yemen, Syria, Somalia, and Afghanistan. – August 17, 2022.